Wing Mirrors!!!

[dobbin]

For those who like their van to look loved but not cossetted like a competition specimen, you might like to try my highly successful and v. cheap solution which took about 10 minutes. (tThis after many attempts at dismantling, cleaning, greasing/not greasing, abrading etc. as given by other club chums). It involves a wire coat hanger folded into a 'v', the tips of which are bent over about 120 degrees to hook into the little (2mm) holes you've drilled into the outside edge of the plastic mirror case near top and bottom, while the apex of the 'v' is held captive, with a little appropriate bending, by a screw into the door frame at about mid-mirror height. Self-tappers or regular pozis will do here, though pan-head screws a bit neater than countersunk. Anyway the key thing is it works a treat. Any engineer or structural architect will extol the merits of a triangulated structure, and that is exactly what we've got here! The mirror can be folded in when nec. by simply unhooking the ends and refixing though I wouldn't recommend this at speed! Hope this helps. By the way has anyone worked out how to remove the mad smiley display on the 'Post a Reply' page its doing my head in....Good luckto the mirror modifiers!

[Cruz]

Bought one of the better quality mirrors listed on gsf site. Looks far better than my old cheapo gsf mirror (which never moved but the glass started to rattle)

It came with fixings and a rubber gasket

[JCL]

both of my original mirrors folded inwards at cruising speed whatever i tried to do to prevent. I purchased aftermarket items from an ebay supplier £9.99 each brand new and boxed..... a gamble i admit bit they function fine, plastic looks good and they stay in place yet are freely adjustable.

[silverbullet]

Slight aside to the thread...what's the best way to change a fixed mirror glass? I've got a couple with the silvering shot through. The plastic shell/arm is ok and I dodn't want to gouge them up with a flat screwdriver...
Hammer through mirror glass and then unclip the bezel?
No supersticious nonsense, please!

[R0B]

where have you managed to find replacement glass? i was not aware it was available.i have bought replacement glass for other vehicles in the past.and this had an adhesive back that you stuck over the top of your original glass.

[silverbullet]

I'm sure that some outfit was listing "glass only" but know you mention it, I can't seem to find any listed anywhere

[R0B]

found this after a search..http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-TRANSPORTER-T3 ... 0414951149 just the flat stuff.the original mirrors had a piece of convex glass on one side iirc..

[silverbullet]

Not what I saw listed. Defo replacement glass in flat or convex. Maybe it's fallen off the lists...

[ambivert]

I had a mirror with smashed glass but good plastic, and another with good glass but broken ball joint, so in order to transplant the good glass, I hacked the broken ball joint mirror apart and was amazed to find that the 'bezel' was merely glued (or possibly plastic welded) onto the mirror body in only about 6 little spots (like less than 1cm each). Then I used a hot glue gun to put it back together... Havent yet got round to trimming off all the excess glue that squelched out when I closed it up, but in the meantime it doesn't look too awful...

[Peepshow Paddy]

Timely thread! My wing mirror has been doing my head in recently for exactly the same reasons - I'll try these fixes, thanks!

[CovKid]

If you can get the wing mirrors flapping enough, you can get an extra 1mph

[rattybird]

If you can get the wing mirrors flapping enough, you can get an extra 1mph

[ghost123uk]

The guy who sold me my van told me they are designed to fold in at speeds above 60mph.
Summat to do with better streamlining to save fuel

So he was having me on then

[Peepshow Paddy]

Classic! That's not very nice is it?!

[syncropatrick]

I think I've got at least one original VW wing mirror brand new in my shed, now not needed as current van has fancy leccy ones. Not sure if/which L or R side. Up for grabs in exchange for a bottle of red wine. I'm in Bristol if someones want to arrange an 80-90 express. cheers. Patrick.